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Dual-core netbooks may remain hard to find

by Pete Mason on 1 September 2010, 14:30

Tags: Intel (NASDAQ:INTC), Gartner (NYSE:IT)

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When Intel launched its dual-core Atom N550 last week, it claimed that a number of major manufacturers were ready to launch new netbooks that very day.  Partners were slow out of the gates, though, with product announcements trickling in over the last week from the likes of HP, Acer, ASUS and Lenovo.

One thing was conspicuously absent from almost all of the press details though - an imminent release date.  With the exception of HP, who are offering dual-core Atom netbooks in the US from today, few other manufacturers are prepared to bring products to market any time soon.

The reason for this might be a little clearer after considering news from Taiwan this week, as well as research from analysts at Gartner. 

Firstly, the research suggests that tablets will significantly eat-into the netbook market over the coming quarters as demand for the ultraportable PCs tails-off.  None of this should be surprising, especially after conservative sales-estimates were further reduced following the resounding success of the iPad.  With tablets expected to flood the market in great numbers, there will be huge amounts of pressure on the maturing netbook-sector.

According to Digitimes, this has led many companies to delay launching their new products for a few months in an effort to clear inventories of older models during the back-to-school season.  This will also prevent the new-stock going head-to-head with the wave of tablets that will launch at similar price points and with similar capabilities.  As a result, the majority of netbooks powered by the N550 aren't expected to reach the market until October of November of this year.

For those who are waiting for a dual-core netbook, you may have to wait a little longer, or choose from the relatively slim-pickings that will launch in the coming weeks.



HEXUS Forums :: 3 Comments

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perhaps the manufacturers are trying to find a way of cooling the CPU so that users don't get 3rd degree burns after 30mins usage? :P
I reckon what you've put is spot on.

Any manufacturer that thinks that the android based tablets that are going to come out at towards the end of the year are not going to affect their sales is in cuckoo-land.

I personally can't wait for the Gpad to release as I will be getting 2 of these for sofa-surfing and whatnot and guess what, my missus was going to get a laptop until I shown her the videos and information I've got on the android pads and she definately wants one of these instead.

I don't think it will be a passing fad as well and these tablets are here to stay. Why not have a touch enabled device for ease of input instead of a keyboard and trackpad based notebook. touch screens are so easy, 3-4 year old kids are using ipads like starfleet cadets and as such I reckon sales of laptops will take a hit while all these devices appear.

All I can say is hurry up and release them so I can have my PC back to myself and I've got my eyes set on the folio 100 atm, but this is subject to change depending on the specs of others coming out.
I always thought that tablets were a bit useless compared to netbooks until I thought what they were really for. Netbooks are for browsing the web, watching films and that sort of thing, not heavy content creation. Tablets are all about consumption and not creation.

Each will do some tasks a little better than the other, but the amount of overlap is pretty big.

Personally, I'm already saving my pennies for a nice little tablet. Or hoping that someone sends me one to review and just forgets to ask for it back. :)